Technical Field of the Invention
Building construction technology and systems. In particular, the invention relates to building technology which, when practiced, produces a building which is so functionally efficient that savings in operational energy costs will repay the cost of erection of the building within a few years after the useful life of the building begins.
Prior Background Art
One of the primary needs of mankind is shelter. Mankind probably first sought shelter beneath bushes, brush, and trees. Caves offered better, more protective shelters; and, with the discovery of fire a cave could be provided with some light as well as warmth.
Man's need for shelter extended to structures in which public assemblies could be held for governing, ceremonial, and religious purposes. As with early efforts of Man, these later shelters were primarily concerned with the erection of roof and walls to shield out harsh sun and foul weather. Means to heat and light the interior were added and seldom was the nature of the enclosure considered with respect to the type of heating and lighting to be utilized within the shelter.
As humankind advanced and its awareness of the overall environment of this spaceship earth and of Man's ability to wreck havoc with that environment so as to unconsciously destroy vast sectors thereof, an enthusiastic and popular movement to protect the environment, its flora, fauna, minerals and atmosphere has spread throughout the world. People are now aware that light in their home may be produced by electricity generated through the burning of coal, the burning of which pollutes the atmosphere and the mining of which has profound effects upon the earth, its water systems, and the health of the persons involved in mining the coal.
Striving for a better life has driven humankind in its development over the millennia. Humankind still seeks to better itself. But the newly acquired awareness of the fragility of the earth's environment now leads Man to more often seek a partnership with the environment so that mankind may prosper without detrimental affect to the environment. To this end, it is an objective of the present invention that a shelter shall be constructed wherein persons may assemble comfortably, free of the harsh effects of the outside environment, and do so at minimal energy costs in terms of lighting the interior of the structure and maintaining its interior at a comfortable temperature level.
Too long have structures been erected without regard for the leakage of heat into a cold outer environment or the leakage of heat from a hot outer environment into a cold structural interior. Too often has mankind created structures with dark interiors necessitating the need to expend energy to light these interiors. Too often has the light that has been added to these structural interiors added heat to an internal environment intended to be cooled so as to offer a comfortable respite from a hot outer environment.
It is therefore another objective of the invention that technology and methodology for the erection of an energy efficient structure will be disclosed such that the practice of the invention will enable the erection of structures which is so energy efficient that the costs of energy will be reduced and the savings gleaned from these reduced energy costs will more than pay the cost of erection of the structure over a reasonable minimum number of years of use of the structure.